


when we were first in bloom

by nelfes



Category: Tales of Legendia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-13 23:44:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16902033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nelfes/pseuds/nelfes
Summary: Let her parents judge her when the time comes. She craves the scent of the sea, not grave soil.





	when we were first in bloom

Chloe hadn’t thought of herself as particularly privileged before. After all, her position as ambassador to Gadoria had much less to do with her own accolades, war hero or not, and more to do with the fact it was the Holy Sovereign backing her.

Gadoria would do anything to get on Rexalia’s good side, even offer such a position to a tarnished knight.

Having been on the Mainland for a month now she realizes what a safehaven the Legacy has been for her. Of course, there were always diplomats even there but it was – despite of or because of Elsa and Alcott, Coolidge and the others, and the two world saving battles they had all been through – home.

She had visited the cemetery at House Valens before she arrived at the dock where she now stood and wondered, will I one day be buried here? There had been a headstone built for her like all the others and before Schwartz she would have been content to dig her own place for it.

Now, she feels guilty having turned away from the graveyard so quickly, but she knew her place wasn’t there. Let her parents judge her when the time comes. She craves the scent of the sea, not grave soil.

She isn’t quite brave enough to step off the pier and tread on the beach like some of the others waiting around for the next ferry. The sight of them and of that deep blue comfort her all the same. It’s foolish, she still cannot swim herself and yet,

and yet she knows there are people there to catch her now. There is one in particular she misses most right now.

Before she left Shirley had held her hand as they waited for the Gadorian ship to reach Port on Rage.

“We don’t have to,” she’d whispered in Chloe’s ear. “But I thought you might appreciate it.” 

Chloe had squeezed tighter. It was true, she wasn’t quite comfortable with such public displays of affection outside of their tight knit group but this was different. This was a journey she would take alone.

Truthfully, she’s unsure what she wants to do besides fall asleep in her own bed when she gets back. Still, her friends will surely be waiting at the Port and she knows despite the pressures of her own duties Shirley will be there too no matter what.

Chloe suddenly wishes she had gotten closer to the ocean now because the ferry is finally on the horizon and her face is much too hot. She thinks it would be nice to hug her.

She had been surprised at first that the scent of Shirley was not that of the sea but of fresh grass and pressed flowers. Even when she hasn’t been working in Musette’s garden, even after a day of swimming lessons, the Ferines girl always smells like spring.

There are storm clouds on the horizon but Chloe isn’t afraid as she steps onto the ferry’s bridge. Even if it rains, she knows right where to find a spot of sunshine amidst the gloom.

-

When Chloe had apologized once for shifting away from Shirley on one of their walks, she had just shaken her head.

“I didn’t tell you I love you because I wanted something from you,” she had said and her words struck Chloe’s heart as surely as they had that day in the woods.

It was something she’d noticed long before Shirley came to live in Werites. When she said things, some things – brave words that seemed too large for the girl’s small body, she spoke them as if she meant them with every fiber of her being.

It was not that Shirley didn’t lie. “We all have bad habits,” she’d told Chloe with a finger to her lips on their way back from their second visit to the Wings of Light. Jay had brushed against her other side and a flash of green passed between them before the blonde met her eyes again.

“But I’m working on them. I dislike secrets.”

It was that she was strong in a way Chloe wasn’t. It was something she had once resented, but not now.

Now she saw things a bit differently.

-

They’re all there, and by all she means every single one of Sandors’ closest men included. Because of course; of course, they are.

(She returns Rajk’s wave. It’s hardly his fault.)

“Hey C,” comes the unmistakable voice of self-proclaimed _world renowned treasure hunter_ slash _Chloe’s first, best bff don’t forget it Shirl_. “You’re coming late to your own party!”

Raynard and Coolidge seem to be doing crowd control as Jay attempts to sink into the background with the words “stupid bandit” clear as day on his lips. Chloe wishes she had some of his subterfuge skills or at least a bigger hat as she passes curious tourists and diplomats down the gang plank.

“Come on,” Coolidge is saying and a chortle of laughter from behind him has Chloe want to catch his last few words.

“Right,” the lighter voice says. “You know she’ll want some air. Let’s back up a bit, Gnorma.”

“Wai-“

Chloe’s passed the couple who had gotten off the boat before her in half the time it took for her brain to make that decision. Shirley is before her now, looking as startled as Chloe feels.

Because she knows she won’t be able to word that instinct as truthfully or vividly as Shirley could. But the fact is, even having daydreamed about her back in Gadoria’s port it wasn’t until she heard her voice that Chloe realized how much she had missed her.

She is very, very glad to be standing in front of her now and as the smaller woman places a hand on her arm in concern she hoists her into an embrace.

“It’s good to be back,” she sighs into Shirley’s hair. Shirley brushes a braid aside and looks at her wonderingly before nuzzling her cheek.

“Good to have you back.”

Chloe swears she hears a wolf whistle, possibly several but that’s alright. It wasn’t as if she could have avoided attention with a crowd this size. May as well make the best of it.

And as she inhales sweetgrass, chives, and something not unlike sunlight she knows she has.

**Author's Note:**

> based on [this](https://twitter.com/Spada_Belforma/status/1070706666151264257) pic seine made me for my [insert katsuya suou's age here] bday. im so blessed to have her as a friend u guyssssss. ;w;  
> mini note 1: this takes place in the same ""verse"" as _Let's Talk_ rather than _Journeys _in my head__  
>  mini note 2: it doesnt make any sense but i love the idea of Shirley calling Norma "Gnorma". Maybe just make it "Gnoma?" idk but legendia localizers if u out there i


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